Overland Panama Travel
Currency to display:
Contents
- 1 Entering Panama with a Car or Motorbike
- 2 Driving in Panama
- 3 Gas and Diesel price in Panama
- 4 Safety and Security Considerations
- 5 Camping in Panama
- 6 Navigation
- 7 Special Overland Travel interests
- 8 Vehicle Maintenance
- 9 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Panama
- 10 References
- 11 Helpful External links
Entering Panama with a Car or Motorbike
Correct as of: March 2010
Required Paperwork
- Passport of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
- Drivers license of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
- Vehicle registration (original and 1 copy).
Process at border
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Panama, application instructions and fees see: Panama Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
- The owner of the vehicle gains entry at immigration (migración), including a stamp in their Passport.
- Insurance for the vehicle must be purchased. (see below)
- The owner must show the new passport stamp, drivers license, the original vehicle registration and vehicle insurance to customs (aduana).
- The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you plan to ship your vehicle out of Panama, make absolutely certain that everything written on your temporary import permit is correct. A single digit wrong in your VIN number or date of vehicle manufacture will be a problem later when you try to ship the vehicle. DO NOT let the customs people convince you it will be OK. It won't.
NOTE: You may encounter locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. See Border Crossing Helpers for advice.
Cost of entry
Free.
Permitted length of stay
90 days.
Extension of stay
Renew vehicle papers in Panama City Renew Vehicle Papers in Panama City
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
(unknown)
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
By land to Costa Rica
- The registered owner is stamped out of Panama at immigration.
- The registered owner presents the temporary import paper to customs, where it is cancelled.
By Ship, probably to Colombia
See Crossing The Darien Gap for details.
Driving in Panama
Insurance requirements
Insurance is mandatory in Panama and you will be forced to buy it at the border before you are allowed to enter. There are always agents at the border to buy from.
Cost of insurance
$15.00 USD for 3 months for a 4x4.
Where to purchase insurance
Right at the border. The customs guys will tell you exactly where to go.
Driving license
Technically an International Driving Permit is required.
In reality, showing a license from anywhere in the world seems to be good enough.
Driving side of road
Right.
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.
Mandatory items in vehicle
None.
Roads
General Road quality
Roads in Panama are generally of good quality, except in some of the smaller towns where the pavement is cracked and broken. Lesser roads are gravel and can be mud pits in the rainy season.
Road signs
Road signs are mostly common and clear.
Toll roads
The major highway from Panama City to Colón is tolled.
Bribery in Panama
Police bribery is not common in Panama, but it certainly does happen.
See the bribery tips page for advice.
Checkpoints
Police checkpoints are not common in Panama, though you may encounter them. You'll be asked to show your Passport, Vehicle registration, drivers license, vehicle insurance and the temporary import permit you were issued at the border.
Traveling with pets
Unknown.
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gas and Diesel price in Panama
Last updated: June 2012
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | €0.80 EUR per Liter [1] |
| Super (90) | ?? |
| Premium (95) | $4.40 USD per Gallon (US) |
| Ultra (97) | ?? |
| Normal Diesel | $0.72 USD per Liter[2] |
| Diesel (low sulfur) | ?? |
- Price Information: gasoline-germany.com - International Gas / Petrol / Diesel prices - Panama
Gas and Diesel / Frequency
Gasoline shortages in Panama are not a problem.
Typically gas stations are not more than 100 - 200km apart.
Gas and Diesel Quality
Accepted to be good quality.
Sulfur content of diesel is unknown.
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Driving at night is not considered a huge problem in Panama, though it's not recommended due to road hazards that can not be seen in the dark.
Vehicle parking
Parking vehicles on the street in smaller towns during the day is typically OK. Find a secure parking lot in big cities and at night.
Special driving considerations
None.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Panama - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping in Panama
Camping is becoming more popular with local Panamanians and hostels in touristy areas have camping to cater for backpackers.
Being far away from major roads is preferable for wild camping.
Camping guide books
No specific book exists, though the usual backpacker guide books mention when a hostel has camping facilities.
Drinking water
Tap water in most of Panama is not safe to drink, though many hotels and hostels in Panama City advertise that it is safe. Every corner store sells 1 and 2 liter bottles, and 20 liter bottles can be bought at most large grocery stores.
Paper maps
Purchase maps before arriving in Panama.
GPS Maps of Panama
- Open Street Map: Appears to have good coverage.[3]
- Garmin: Apparently no map of Panama.
- TomTom: No map of Panama. [4]
GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Panama
- Camping Sites: Panama - Detailed list of campsites and propane filling with description, directions and GPS co-ordinates. Some at hotels (lists facilities and price), some roadside and free.
- Central America Camping Locations - List of campsites, with basic directions and GPS co-ordinates. Mostly free sites.
- Camping Log 1: Central America - List of campsites, shopping, fuel, propane and border crossings with excellent descriptions and GPS co-ordinates.
- White Acorn camping log page - GPS co-ordinates and excellent description of campsites]
Special Overland Travel interests
- See Shipping across the Darien Gap for those details.
Travel Guide Books
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Add known good mechanics here.
Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Panama
Buy
Unknown.
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle.
List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.
Sell
Selling a car in Panama is relatively easy assuming you can find a buyer.
We were able to conclude the sale in a day.
You will need:
- A bill of sale or transfer of the car, (you can type one up yourself). It should include the make, model, year of the car, the VIN and the buyer and seller's full name and address and ID numbers
- Original title of the vehicle and the 'rodaje' or temporary import permit that was given to you at the border by customs
- Notarized copies of the seller's passport, the buyer's passport or ID, the vehicle title and the bill of sale and the 'rodaje'
- Once you have agreed on a price and gotten all the documents written up and notarized you then drop the car off at a bond warehouse where it awaits customs valuation. They will keep the car title at the bond warehouse and give you a document stating that the car has been consigned to the bond.
- You then go to the customs office where the Gerencia or Administration department will review your paperwork to make sure it is all in order before directing you to the Vehicular Control department where you can get your passport stamped allowing you to leave the country.
- You should probably arrange to receive the cash payment for the car before dropping off the car at the bond warehouse.
- The buyer of the car then has to work with a corredor de aduana to get the customs paperwork and legalize it in Panama. This can take up to 20 days. The buyer assumes all responsibility for paying the customs duties and taxes which will be a minimum of $1,500.00 USD no matter the value of the car (as of 2012)
References
- ↑ gasoline-germany.com - International Gas / Petrol / Diesel prices - Panama
- ↑ fuel price - anybody ? - The HUBB
- ↑ OpenStreetMap Panama
- ↑ TomTom Map availability
Helpful External links
- Panama: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Panama - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Panama travel guides at wikivoyage
- Panama - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
